Nebraska Head Coach Bill Straub is set to return to coaching the Huskers

Photo Courtesy Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations

Courtesy: NU Media Relations

04/04/2014

Lincoln, Neb.- Nebraska women’s bowling head coach Bill Straub has returned to his position as head coach while NU prepares for the 2014 NCAA Championship, starting next Thursday in Cleveland, Ohio.

Straub has been sidelined since Jan. 9, after having a successful emergency surgery for an aortic dissection. Since the procedure, Straub has been recuperating and recently returned to coaching the Huskers.

Straub said he and his family would like to thank all of Husker Nation for the well wishes, cards and notes over the past couple months.

During his absence, assistant coach Paul Klempa took over as interim head coach leading the Huskers to two tournament victories at the Prairie View A&M Invitational and the Central Missouri Women’s Invitational. NU also is currently rated No. 2 in both the coaches and media NTCA poll.

Straub was mostly at a loss of words when praising Klempa and the job he has done in Straub’s absence.

“I think the easiest way to define it, is that it is confirmation of how good Paul (Klempa) is,” Straub said. “There are not three coaches in the country that are better than him, he is just very good at what he does. We are blessed to have him.”

Straub did note how great of a job the team did rallying together during the tough time.

“I am not playing down the rallying together of the team, but if you don’t have somebody driving the ship, your rallying isn’t going to get you far.”

Straub went on to add, if it was up to him, Klempa would receive Coach-of-the-Year honors.

“He is deserving of coach of the year, it went from all the years he has spent here trying to help me, to now he is on his own, or was on his own,” Straub said. “He did a terrific job.”

The Nebraska women’s bowling team’s quest to back-to-back national championships will begin Thursday April 10. The three-day-event will be hosted at the Game of Wickliffe Center by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and the Mid-American Conference.

The championship finals will air on ESPNU at 7 p.m. (Central) Saturday, April 12. A tape-delayed broadcast of the championship finals will air on ESPN from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, April 13.